Once mistaken for mermaids by
lonely sailors, slow-moving manatees roam
Florida's coastal waterways. So do ships and
fast-moving recreational boats, which injure and
kill dozens of these endangered animals each year.
In fact, most manatees in Florida bear scars or
deformities from being run over by boats and cut
by boat propellers.

Florida manatees range in
length from about 10-12 feet and can weigh between
1,000 and 1,800 pounds. Their skin is
grayish-brown and covered with sparse hairs. The
body of a manatee is streamlined with
fore-flippers and a large, paddle-shaped tail.
They are herbivores and eat primarily submerged
and floating plants.

Habitat & Range

Florida manatees inhabit the
coastal waters of the Southeastern U.S. A
migratory species, in the summer they can be found
as far west as Louisiana and as far north as
Virginia. They live in shallow, warm coastal
waters, as well as rivers, springs, bays,
estuaries, canals and warm water outfalls. Related
species of manatees are also found in Puerto Rico
and coastal areas of the Caribbean and Central and
South America.

Threats to Manatees

Fast-moving power boats are
the greatest threat to manatees—killing as many as
80 and injuring countless others each year. Sadly,
most Florida manatees bear scars or deformities
from being run over by boats and cut by boat
propellers. Listed as endangered under the
Endangered Species Act, manatee populations number
about 3,500 individuals.. Although they used to be
hunted for their meat, oil and their tough hide,
other current human-related threats include
crushing in flood-gates and canals locks as well
as entanglement and ingestion of marine debris.

Natural causes of manatee
mortality include red tide, cold stress and
pneumonia, disease and parasitism. Numerous calves
die each year as well.

In the last decade, manatee
mortality has averaged over 200 individuals per
year—60 to 80 are killed by speedboaters. However,
in recent years, total mortality has topped 300
and watercraft deaths have topped 80 individuals
and deaths continue to rise.

How You Can Help

Be a manatee-friendly
boater! When boating, obey posted speed
zones, go slow in shallow waters where manatees
tend to rest and feed, wear polarized sunglasses
to reduce glare, never allow fishing line or other
debris overboard; and watch for signs of manatees
in the area.

Participate in
cleanups! Participate in monofilament
(fishing line) cleanups or coastal cleanups and
and always pick up litter any time you are on or near
the water.

Be
respectful! If you see manatees in the
wild, respect their natural behaviors. Never
disturb them—especially while they rest or feed,
or mothers with calves. Never give them food or
freshwater.